Mouth sores – How can you get rid of them?

Most people are affected by mouth sores at least once in their lives. These sores can be seen on the soft tissues of the mouth such as the lips, gums, tongue, cheeks, and palette. Sometimes you can develop them on the esophagus too, which is the tube leading to the stomach. Most often these sores last only a week or two but they can also indicate an infection from a virus called Herpes simplex or Mouth cancer.

What are mouth sores?

• A mouth sore is a small ulcer in the mouth.
• It is usually red on the edges and gray or pale yellow in the middle.
• It tends to be lesser than 1 centimeter in diameter and could either be just one sore or there could be many grouped together.
• They appear on the soft parts of the mouth like the insides of the lips, cheeks, and tongue.
• A mouth sore is also called a canker sore or recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), which means that these sores can appear repeatedly.
• Mouth sores are not contagious and tend to heal on their own in about a week.
• The most common mouth sores are canker sores, candidiasis or thrush (a fungal infection), cold sores, and leukoplakia (a thick gray patch).

What causes mouth sores?

There are plenty of reasons for sores in the mouth. Here are some of the common ones:

• These sores could develop if you accidentally bite your gums or tongue or have a badly fitting denture.
• They could also occur due to a weakened immune system or an allergy.
• It could occur due to a sharp edge of a broken tooth, a filling, or because of loose orthodontic wires.
• Sensitivity to some food ingredients.
• Strong medication like antibiotics, cancer treatment, or due to a reaction to any kind of therapy.
• It could also be because of some specific oral, skin, or systemic disease.
• Smoking.
• An autoimmune disease like Behçet’s disease.
• Hormonal changes and emotional stress.

What are the symptoms of mouth sores?

You might have a mouth sore if you experience the following symptoms:

• Pale and cold skin along with pale gums.
• Feeling fatigued, dizzy and light headed.
• Increase in blood pressure and a higher heartbeat.
• There could be a burning or tingling sensation a day or two before the sores can be seen.
• You might experience mild flu-like symptoms such as body ache, low fever, and swollen lymph nodes.

What are the precautions to be taken?
If you realize that you are getting sores in your mouth often, then you must take certain precautions to avoid them including;

• Maintain a diary of what you drink and eat. The moment you realize you could be getting a mouth sore try to recollect the food or drinks you had immediately before.
• Avoid any kind of tobacco products.
• Keep a list of all the oral hygiene products that you have used such as mouth rinse and toothpaste.
• Drink alcoholic beverages in moderation.
• Brush with a soft-bristled brush and do it after every meal so that there are no food particles stuck in your teeth that could trigger a mouth sore.
• Visit a dentist regularly and maintain good oral hygiene.

How to get rid of mouth sores quickly?

If detected at an early stage, mouth sores can be treated well. Here are a few treatments that can hasten the recovery in case of mouth sores:

• Most mouth sores do not need any treatment and usually heal on their own.
• To relieve the pain usually, mouthwashes, and ointments are suggested for local application.
• If you get mouth sores very often it is best to see a doctor and get tested for any probable underlying medical conditions.
• Simple home remedies like keeping ice chips in the mouth over the sores and letting it melt slowly can also ease the pain.
• Another home remedy is mixing milk of magnesia and Benadryl  liquid before rinsing your mouth with it. You could also dab some milk of magnesia on the sore directly.
• Taking vitamin B-complex capsules can also help get rid of them.